[PS Move] Beat Sketcher

[Shin-Ra]

Create your own a masterpiece and sketch colourful patterns using PlayStation Move.

• Doodle to the music in Challenge Mode and test your artistic flair against others in the Competitive Modes.
• Draw whatever you want in Free Mode, and upload your work of art to PlayStation Network.
• Download images from other devices and edit them for the world to see.

Read between the lines of the artistic Beat Sketcher, as eu.playstation.com has a chat with the PlayStation Move title’s developer, SCE Japan Studio.

How do you use PlayStation Move in Beat Sketcher?

In Beat Sketcher you can doodle at will by using the PS Move motion controller as a pen. Your TV screen is a canvas, so you need to move not only your hands but also your whole body. Doodles created by your movements also create musical notes, overlap and become music. It generates a new experience - you can enjoy drawing and sound at the same time!

What are the benefits of using PS Move in Beat Sketcher?

Various expressions are easily created by anyone thanks to intuitive controls, such as dynamic lines drawn using a Japanese calligraphy-like brush pen. Calligraphy requires the full use of the wrist, detailed lines are created by using an ultra fine pen tip and so on.

How has the high degree of accuracy and speed afforded by PS Move helped in creating Beat Sketcher?

When a player draws, the player's moving position and drawing speed can be used as an accurate control input. So PS Move's capability enabled us to realise various types of expression.

How does the inclusion of PS Move change the way you approach and play Beat Sketcher compared to other titles in that genre?

There are some games out there that let you enjoy drawing, and those are more static types of gameplay that mainly use a mouse or pen tablet for input. When we developed a PS Move exclusive game, we had the idea from the beginning to create something that would enable the doodles themselves to become a more dynamic gameplay element by making full use of the motion control capability.

Specifically, we were very inspired by the famous Japanese illustrator/singer Ms Ado Mizumori who is well known in Japan for drawing on a transparent acrylic board while singing a song. The lyrics of the song tell a story about what she is drawing.

We also understand that sound is an important factor in making doodles a dynamic plaything, and kept working on how best to integrate it in the game from the early stages of production. Finally, we reached the current style which lets you create sounds and drawings at the same time.

What is the most exciting aspect of using PS Move in Beat Sketcher?

With the simple and intuitive game controls that Beat Sketcher provides, you can create various works of art and draw a tune with your imagination. We believe this is an exciting experience for players.

What have been your favourite moments so far in developing Beat Sketcher with PS Move?

The moment when I could draw a soothing line as intended with PS Move, then the moment when I could play a tuneful sound much better than expected as a result.

What challenges did you encounter in creating Beat Sketcher with something as innovative as PS Move?

It is the first time that the development team has created a game using PS Move, so we have encountered many challenges during the production and we are constantly trying our best to overcome these - and succeeding. In terms of creating a unique game experience that anyone can enjoy regardless of gender, age or location, we tested the game many times and finally decided on the current final design.

Is there anything else you want to add about Beat Sketcher and PlayStation Move?

Other than enjoying doodling freely, Beat Sketcher is packed with many fun elements. It fuses the doodling and rhythm action genres, and lets you compete or co-operate with your friends and family, so everyone can enjoy it. Also, your creations can be shared via PlayStation Network globally - and a movie taken in the game can be uploaded to YouTube.

We hope you will enjoy this unique PS Move experience and we are looking forward to seeing the many great surprises that are created by Beat Sketcher players all over the world!